4/27/11 Intro to Art

Today's Class- Today was a work day for students to work on anything related to the class. Most worked on the 3D final project, while others finished their comic strip projects or worked on portfolio exercises from earlier in the semester.

How to make this up- After today everyone has the subject for their 3D projects. Anyone needing a reminder of the details can find them in last week's posting. If anyone has misplaced their words or forgotten what they are, e-mail me and I'll remind you.

Homework- The 3D Final Project is due at the beginning of class on May 4, 2011. Museum papers and extra credit assignments must be turned in by then to receive credit.

Semester Portfolio- I will be grading the final portfolio as part of next week's class. The following items (and the dates they can be found on this blog) are expected to be part of it:

February 9th Contour lines (shoes)

February 16th Negative Space (chair and bottles)

February 23rd Value Drawing (charcoal)

March 2nd Color Wheel and Complement Mix

March 9th Photography

March 23rd Rhythm in Art (music inspired abstraction)

March 30th Collagraph Print

The extra credit assignment can be found on February 16th.

With things like the chair drawing and charcoal value study, whatever you accomplished in class is fine- you can't work any more on it without the set up. If you missed a class completely, you will have to make it up as described in the posting. Postings from earlier in the semester that aren't on this main page can be accessed through the archives at the top of the right hand column.

For next class 5/4/11- Bring all your art projects to class, but specifically the portfolio exercises and the 3D Final project. If you haven't turned in your museum paper yet, bring that as well.

BE ON TIME! The sooner we can start class, the earlier we will finish.

4/25/11 2D Design

Today's Class- Today we started with a critique of the limited palettes projects that were completed on time. Then after filling out the semester course evaluation, we took a trip to see the graduate student show at the gallery downstairs. Finally, I showed a few slides with images of people playing games and of game board designs over the past several decades, and introduced our final project of the semester- designing an art history themed board game, an example of which can be seen above.

How to make this up- Full details regarding how to complete this assignment can be found here. We will have all next week in class to work on it, but I recommend that students arrive for class next week with images and a plan.

Homework- The Board Game final project is due at the beginning of class on May 9, 2011. This will be our last meeting of the year and the last day of the semester, so it must be turned in that day to receive credit.

For next class 5/2/11- It will be a general work day for any class related work. Most will use it to finish the Final Project, but it can also be used to finish any back projects (such as the limited palettes project or the season temperature collage) or any other class related work. Bring whatever materials you need to work on whatever you plan to do.

4/20/11 Intro to Art

Today's Class- Today we looked at all the completed comic strips from the class, after which I collected the projects to grade and return next week. I had the students fill out the course evaluation form, then we looked at the last slides of the semester- an overview of the history of sculpture. Then I introduced the final project of the semester, a graded project involving 3D art.

How to make this up- In class today each student received a randomly generated phrase by picking words out of two bags (nouns and modifying words and phrases). The project asks the student to interpret that phrase in any way that makes sense and create a sculptural piece around that theme. If you missed class today, the first thing you must do is get a randomly generated phrase from me. Contact me by e-mail and I'll pick 2 options for you, or wait until next week and pick from the bags yourself.

Once you have the phrase, you have two options for the project. Because this is the first time I am trying this with the Intro class, I don't have any previous examples of either option for this exact project to show you. However, I can post a few examples of student art of a similar nature.

Option #1- An open front box. This is based on the work of Joseph Cornell, who made box type works in the mid-20th century. The box is open in the front and is filled with a variety of 2D and 3D elements. These can be found objects or things you make yourself out of whatever materials you wish to use. Above is an example of such a box that I made out of materials from my basement, with the theme being the hardware store that my grandfather owned for many years. If you wish to make a box, it must be a minimum of 12 inches high, 12 inches wide, and 3 inches deep. You can use wood like I did, but cardboard will be fine. Three dimensional elements can rest on the bottom edge or shelves created inside,or be attached to the back, sides, or top. Two dimensional elements must also be present, as part of the box theme, and these can be drawn, painted, or collaged from other sources. Consider all the formal properties we've dealt with this semester- line, value, color, etc.

Option #2- A free standing sculpture. This would be a 3 dimensional work that is meant to be seen fully in the round, from any and all directions. It can be made out of any material you want (paper, cardboard, paper mache, wood, clay, etc) and can incorporate found objects, but must include some elements you make yourself. The final piece must be at least 12" tall in some part. You have the option of including an attached base, or make something that can stand on its own on your desk.

Below are some examples of two dimensional student works that also began with randomly generated phrases. I have included them to show how students have come up with images to interpret their concepts.

City of Zoo

Tangled Men

Homework- This graded three dimensional art project is due at the beginning of class on May 4, 2011, our last meeting of the semester. Because it is the last class meeting, no projects will be accepted after class ends.

For next class 4/27/11- This will be a general work day for students to use for any class related work. You may bring in materials to work on the final 3D project, and I'll be around to advise you on construction and interpreting your concept. Or you may work on any back project from the semester- if you know you missed days, check back through the blog and bring what you need to complete it. (keep in mind that it would be your responsibility to bring shoes, bottles, music, etc since I won't have them). You can also work on the extra credit project offered earlier in the semester (see February 16th), or even work on your museum paper, assuming that you have already made your museum visit.

4/18/11 2D Design

Today's Class- Today we explored another approach to color in the form of a still life painting. Unlike the past few projects where we specifically used colors that did not match any particular reality, this time the goal was to match exact colors in the set up. We began with a few dozen slides of still life painting through the ages and discussed the role it has played in the history of art. The rest of the class period was devoted to the project, except for a few minutes looking at more of the season collages.

How to make this up- Start by setting up a still life. Put a box on a table and drape with a multicolored cloth, such as a sheet or tablecloth. Arrange 3 solidly colored objects of similar sizes, each a different color from the others and from the cloth, on and around the box. Light should be bright enough to see the color well, preferably from a single source. Paint the still life on a sheet of your 18" x 24" paper, trying to match the shape, size, proportions, and relative positions of the objects as we have with past still life projects, but now also trying to match the exact colors (hue, intensity, value, etc) of the objects and drapery. You may choose any color you want for the background. You may sketch the composition first in pencil, or just paint directly from your observation if you prefer. Students in class spent about 3.5 hours on it, not including lunch break.

This is a portfolio exercise that must be completed by the end of the semester in order to receive credit.

Homework- Nothing new, but the limited color palettes project that we began in class last week is due at the beginning of class next week, April 25, 2011.

Keep in mind that the museum paper is due by the last class meeting of the semester, three weeks from today. If you have not done so yet, visit a museum soon so that you can get it done.

For next class 4/25/11- We will critique the limited palettes project and start the final project of the semester. It will involve an adaptation of the two dimensional work of someone from the history of fine art. Bring a book with color reproductions of a favorite artist, favorite art movement, favorite subject, or if you have no favorites, a general book about painting or an art history textbook. The art in question should be representational. The project will require a piece of mat board (18"x 24" should be enough, but it's rarely sold that small, so you may have to buy a larger piece), and all your painting materials, pencil and eraser. Paper for sketching ideas would be helpful as well.

4/13/11 Intro to Art

Today's Class- Today the class continued working on the comic strip project that we began last week. While that was going on, I printed the collograph plates for everyone who came to class. The resulting print is to be saved as part of your semester portfolio (I recommend taping it to a blank page so it doesn't fall out) while you may keep or throw away the plate itself. You have the option of adding color to your print if you like, by using your watercolors (as in the example above) or pastels, with color applied thin enough to allow the textures of the print to show through.

How to make this up- Those who didn't come to class today should bring their collograph plates to class next week. I'll collect them, print them at home, and return them the following week. As for the comic strip project, everyone in the class attended either last week or this week, so all should know about the project, but if you need a reminder, the details can be found at last week's post.

Homework- The symbolic autobiographical comic strip project is due at the beginning of class on April 20, 2011.

Keep in mind that the museum assignment must be turned in by the beginning of the last day of class to receive credit. If you haven't yet made your museum visit, I recommend that you do it as soon as possible.

For next class 4/20/11- We will look at the resulting comic strips, then discuss the history of sculpture and start talking about the final 3D project of the semester. We will also likely visit the graduate student show in the gallery down the hall. Bring in your completed comic strips, some kind of paper for notes and sketches (your pad or a notebook), pencil and eraser.

4/11/11 2D Design

Today's Class- Today we began a new graded project that explored the idea of limited color palettes, or specific combinations of color. Sometimes artists will choose colors to exactly match the thing(s) they are painting, sometimes they use random colors, and sometimes they choose specific combinations because of the resulting relationships. We looked at a few slides of fine art using some specific color strategies, then began the project. We also devoted some time at the end of class to looking at the completed color temperature season collages due today.

How to make this up- To complete this assignment you will need a sheet of your 18" x 24" paper, all your painting related materials, and a black and white photograph of a person, scene, object, etc. After using pencil to copy the basic composition of the photo 4 times, use your acrylic paints to reproduce the image using the same value relationships and some different color strategies. The resulting piece will look like the examples above and below. For the specific directions and types of color combinations, and further student examples, click here.

Homework- This specific color palettes graded project is due at the beginning of class on April 25, 2011.

Those who still owe me such back projects as the wood block or the season/temperature collage should get those in as soon as possible to receive partial credit.

For next class 4/18/11- We will complete a portfolio exercise involving a color still life painting. Bring your 18" x 24" pad, paints, palette, brushes, palette knife, water container, pencil and eraser. Those who owe back projects should bring them in completed.

4/6/11 Intro to Art

Today's Class- Today we looked at art that had narrative, or stories to tell, as a common element. We went back as far as cave painting and Ancient Rome, through the Renaissance, and up to the 20th century. I also showed a few slide examples and actual examples of the art project that relates to this lesson, a narrative autobiographical comic strip. Student examples from earlier semesters can be seen above and below.

How to make this up- This is our first individually graded project of the semester. You will be creating an autobiographical comic strip, chronicling some true story that happened in your life. You must come up with symbolic characters to represent you and other people in the story, based on either personal associations with the people involved or the nature of the story itself. The final artwork will be colored with pastels, though you may draw it out in pencil first and use a pencil or marker to do the dialog lettering. Another student example and full details about the project can be found here.

You will be given almost all of next week's class to work on this, and additional time on your own after that, so students who missed today's class should have ideas for a story and characters before next week, but don't need to have it fully drawn by then.

Homework- The completed comic strip graded project is due at the beginning of class on April 20, 2011. We will look at all the finished comics at that time.

For next class 4/13/11- We will continue work on the comic strip project. We will also be printing the collograph projects started last week. Bring your 18" x 24" pad, pencil and eraser, pastels, and the completed collograph plate. If we did not yet see your photographs in class, bring them as well so everyone can see how you handled the assignment. We may also make a quick visit down the hall to check out the new grad student art show.

4/4/11 2D Design

Today's Class- Today we started a new graded project involving color. Meanwhile, all students who had completed their woodblocks had them printed today, as shown above. We held a critique of these at the end of class.

How to make this up- Today's color project was about color temperature, the idea that all colors have a perceived temperature, warm or cool, by themselves or in relation to another color. Students are asked to create two colorful collages that represent two of the seasons, by the overall color temperature. (for example- all warm colors, such as reds, yellows, oranges, would represent summer, a mix of warm and cool colors could represent spring or autumn) Below are two examples from previous semesters.

To see the full instructions for this project, as well as additional student examples, click here.

Homework- This color temperature graded project is due at the beginning of class April 11, 2011.

For next class 4/11/11- We will critique the color temperature projects, then start the next graded project, which will deal with specific color combinations. Bring your 18"x 24" pad, pencil and eraser, paints, palette, brushes, water container, and a black and white photo that will be the basis of the project. If you do not bring a photo, I will have my usual bag of magazines to pick through.